Television

Jerry Solomon

Years ago I witnessed something that has been written indelibly in
my memory. The occasion was a week-long summer conference for high
school students on the campus of a major university. I was serving
as the leader of one of the groups at this conference. In fact, I
was given the elite students. They were described as the "Advanced
School" because they had attended the conference previously, and
they had leadership positions on their respective campuses.

Each of our teaching sessions, which were usually focused on
matters of world views, theology, cultural criticism, and
evangelism, began with music. Before one memorable session the
music leader began to play the theme music from various television
shows of the past. To my great surprise the students began to sing
the lyrics to each of the tunes with great gusto. They were able to
respond to each theme without hesitation; the songs were ingrained
in their memories. Obviously they had heard the themes and watched
the programs numerous times during their relatively young lives.
Whether it was "Gilligan's Island," "The Beverly Hillbillies,"
"Green Acres," "Sesame Street," or a host of others, they knew all
of them. Whereas many of these bright students could not relate a
good grasp of biblical content, they had no problem recalling the
content of frivolous television programs that were not even
produced during their generation.

The Rise and Influence of TV

In a short period of time television has cemented itself in our
cultural consciousness. As you read the following titles of
television programs certain memories will probably come to mind:
"The Milton Berle Show," "I Love Lucy," "The Steve Allen Show,"
"The $64,000 Question," "The Millionaire," "Leave It To Beaver,"
"Gunsmoke," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Candid Camera," "As the
World Turns," "The Twilight Zone," "Captain Kangaroo," "Dallas,"
"Happy Days," "Let's Make a Deal," "The Tonight Show," "Sesame
Street," "M*A*S*H*," "All in the Family," "The Cosby Show," "Monday
Night Football."

Perhaps you remember a particular episode, a certain phrase, an
indelible scene, a unique character, or, as with my high school
friends, the title tune. These television programs, and a litany of
others, have permeated our lives. It is difficult, if not
impossible, to find a more pervasive, influential conduit of ideas
and images than television. For a large segment of the population
"television has so refashioned and reshaped our lives that it is
hard to imagine what life was like before it."(1)

This powerful medium began to gather the attention of the
population soon after World War II. "By 1948, the number of
stations in the United States had reached 48, the cities served 23,
and sales of TV sets had passed sales of radios."(2) But it was not
until "1952 . . . that TV as we know it first began to flow to all
sections of the United States."(3) Interest was so intense that "by
1955 about two-thirds of the nation's households had a set; by the
end of the 1950s there was hardly a home in the nation without
one."(4) And by 1961 "there were more homes in the United States
with TV than with indoor plumbing."(5) Such statistics have
continued to increase to the point where "99 percent of all
households possess at least one TV, and most have two or more."(6)

So the middle- to late-twentieth century has included the
development of one of the most dramatic and powerful methods of
communication in recorded history.

Can TV Be Redeemed?

But as with all media, the Christian should weigh carefully the use
and abuse of TV. Some are quick to call it an "idiot box" while
continuing to watch it endlessly. Others, borrowing from a famous
poem by T.S. Eliot, may disparagingly refer to TV as a "wasteland."
Still others, as with certain evangelists, may claim that TV is the
most powerful tool yet devised for the spreading of the gospel.(7)

But whether your perception of TV is negative or positive, the
Christian must understand that the medium is here to stay, and it
will continue to have a significant influence on all of us, whether
we like it or not. And whether we are discussing TV or any other
media, it is the Christian's responsibility "to maintain an
informed, critical approach to all media while joyfully determining
how best to use every medium for the glory of God."(8)

There is no doubt this is a challenging endeavor, because at first
glance it may be difficult to picture ways in which TV can be used
legitimately for God's glory. Perhaps many of us tend to have what
may be called the "Michal Syndrome." Michal, King David's wife,
rebuked David for dancing before the ark of God. She had concluded
that the "medium" of dancing in this manner was shameful. But
Scripture obviously demonstrates that she was the one to be rebuked
in that she "had no child to the day of her death" (2 Samuel 6:12
23). We will do well to heed at least one of the lessons of this
story and be cautious if we are tempted to reject TV outright as a
potentially unredeemable avenue of expression.

This is an important thought in light of the fact that many highly
esteemed thinkers have espoused pessimistic analyses of TV. For
example, Malcolm Muggeridge, the great English sage, wrote: "Not
only can the camera lie, it always lies."(9) In fairness we must
add that Muggeridge added balance in his critique and even agreed
to be interviewed on William Buckley's "Firing Line," but his
skepticism continues to be well-chronicled. Jacques Ellul has
written in the same vein. Neil Postman, another respected critic,
wrote an oft-quoted book entitled Amusing Ourselves To Death
in 1985. In his volume Postman argues that Aldous Huxley's belief
that "what we love will ruin us" is a perfect description of
TV.(10) More recently Kenneth Myers, an insightful cultural critic,
also has concluded that it is highly doubtful that the medium can
be redeemed(11) (that is, brought under the Lordship of Christ and
conformed to His teachings). Such gloomy perspectives continue to
be expressed by many of those who study media.

On the other hand, such viewpoints have been questioned, if not
rejected, by many other well-qualified critics. Their analyses of
TV usually are based upon a more optimistic view of technology.
Clifford Christians, a communications scholar, writes: "I defend
television. Contrary to Postman and Ellul, I do not consider it the
enemy of modern society, but a gift of God that must be transformed
in harmony with the redeemed mind."(12) Quentin Schultze, another
communications scholar, believes that many Christian intellectuals
"are comfortable with printed words and deeply suspicious of
images, especially mass-consumed images."(13) David Marc, an
American Civilization professor, offers a provocative outlook by
relating that the "distinction between taking television on one's
own terms and taking it the way it presents itself is of critical
importance. It is the difference between activity and passivity. It
is what saves TV from becoming the homogenizing, monolithic,
authoritarian tool that the doomsday critics claim it is."(14) We
must view TV with an active mind that responds with a Christian
world view. We are responsible for what TV communicates to us.

How Should We Respond to TV?

So it is obvious there are great disparities of opinion among those
who think about TV more than most of us. How can we humbly approach
the subject while considering both positions? I propose that we
reflect on an answer to this question by giving attention to
several facets of a response.

TV and Communication

First, we should remember that as with many contemporary forms of
communication and entertainment, the Bible does not include
explicit insights about TV. We are left to investigate applicable
passages and gather perspectives based upon our study. Let's
consider some of those passages and see if we can discover needed
insights.

Neil Postman relates an intriguing thought regarding the second of
the Ten Commandments: "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or
any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or
in the water under the earth" (Exod. 20:4, NASB). Postman's
response to this verse is that "it is a strange injunction to
include as part of an ethical system unless its author assumed a
connection between forms of human communication and the quality of
a culture."(15) Postman's statement strongly suggests that the ways
in which we communicate significantly influence our lives. He
continues by stating that "iconography thus became blasphemy so
that a new kind of God could enter a culture."(16)

There is much food for thought in such statements. First, it is
true that the "author," in this case God via the personality of
Moses, was emphasizing the importance of "forms of communication."
But it is a misapplication of the text to conclude anything more
than that it is not permissible for man to form visual images of
God. Second, it is also true that "forms of communication" are
connected to the "quality of a culture." But again it is a mis-
application to conclude that visual images cannot be a positive or
beneficial part of that quality. Third, it is not true that
"iconography thus became blasphemy" for the people of God. If that
were so it would make a mockery of the tabernacle and temple that
were so important in the cultural and religious life of the
Israelites (in particular, see Exod. 31 and 35-40). Both structures
contained icons that were representative of God's revelation, and
they were filled with images that were pleasing to the eye. There
was an aesthetic dimension. Of course the icons were not
representative of God Himself, but they were representative of His
actions and commands. They symbolized God's presence and power
among His people.

The point of this dialogue with Postman and his analysis of the
second commandment is that he has related one of the more prominent
biases against TV. That is, TV is an image-bearer, and thus it is
inferior to forms of communication that are word-bearers. Even if
we were to concede that this is true, it does not follow that the
inferiority of TV means that it cannot be a legitimate form of
communication. It simply means that it may be inferior to other
forms. Steak may be superior to hamburger, but that doesn't mean
steak should be our only food.

Let's reverse the emphasis upon the superiority of written
communication by considering a contrast between reading the letters
of the apostle Paul and actually being in his presence and hearing
him expound upon them. Most of us would probably say that actually
hearing Paul is superior to reading him, but few of us would say
that reading his letters is not a worthwhile enterprise. If we
follow Postman's reasoning, and the reasoning of other critics, we
may be tempted to conclude that the issue of
inferiority/superiority could lead us to reject reading Paul
because that does not provide the same level of communication as
would his actual presence. Television may be inferior to other
things in our lives, but that doesn't mean it must excluded.

The Cultural Mandate and TV

Second, we should analyze TV in light of the cultural mandate.
Clifford Christians has related that Christians "often seem to be
aliens in a strange land." That is, we are living in a secularized
society that makes it increasingly difficult to assert biblical
principles. But he goes on to draw a parallel between the ancient
Israelites in their Babylonian captivity to our present condition.
He quotes the prophet Jeremiah: "Build houses and live in them; and
plant gardens, and eat their produce.... And seek the welfare of
the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on
its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.... For I know
the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for
welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope'"
(Jeremiah 29:4,7,11).

This passage can serve to remind us that we are to "convert
cultural forms, not...eliminate them wholesale."(17) The Israelites
were forced to live in a culture not their own, but they were still
enjoined to "cultivate" it. In the same sense we should be
cultivating the medium of television.

TV Is Still In Its Infancy

Third, we should give thought to the fact that TV is still in its
childhood. As a result, it is possible that it has not yet realized
its potential beyond the banalities that we tend to associate with
it at the present time. A study of the history of various media
indicates that all of them have proceeded through stages of
development, and that is still true. For example, even though drama
was born in ancient Greece, its development had to wait to a great
extent until Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Era. During this
period, the theater began to acquire its present form, and many
were outraged. It was a suspicious and inferior form of
communication in the opinion of the learned and pious. And with
this development came the idea of a "spectator" who observed the
action and dialogue on the stage. This manner of communication or
entertainment led the London city fathers to eradicate it from the
city into the suburbs. Thus the famous Globe theater was built on
the south side of the Thames and not in the walled city.(18)

So it could be that many of us, like the London city fathers, are
too impatient, or we are biased toward certain media. We often cry
that there is reason to be impatient or biased because of the TV
content that has become so much a part of our lives. Yes, there is
too much violence, sex, secularism, and there are too many vapid
plots and insipid dialogue. But our concerns about content should
not automatically lead us to assume that the medium is
irredeemable. Perhaps we have not allowed TV the time it may need
to attract its most creative and redeeming champions. And again,
this is where the Christian should enter armed with the cultural
mandate. The Christian who seeks to communicate through TV should
understand its peculiarities and surpass the unimaginative,
superficial, narcissistic productions offered by too many
contemporary Christians.

TV and Visual Literacy

Fourth, we should give consideration to the possibility that many
of us are visually illiterate. Just as the disciples of Jesus were
frequently "parable illiterate," we may have need for more insights
as to how to react to TV. This may sound strange since such a great
percentage of the population spends so much time with TV.
Unfortunately, most of us don't "view" TV. Instead, we "watch" TV.
That is, we don't often engage in a mental, much less verbal,
discussion with the images and dialogue.

The critical viewer of television has the difficult job of
translating the tube's images into words. Then the words can be
processed by the viewer's mind, evaluated and discussed with other
viewers. This is a crucial process that all Christians must engage
in if they hope to be discerning users of the tube.(19)

Much of current television is designed to appeal to the emotions,
as opposed to the intellect. The frenetic style of MTV, for
example, is increasingly used for everything from commercials to
news programs. Unless we want to leave TV as a medium that only
applies to our emotions, we must find ways to interact
intellectually with what TV delivers. And perhaps more importantly,
we need to encourage a new generation to become visually literate
to the point that they will begin to affect the use of the medium.

Good Decisions About TV

Fifth, many of us need to make decisions prior to spending time
with the medium. This should be done not only for ourselves, but
for our children and grandchildren. Perhaps a good rule for turning
on the tube is to "map out" what may be worthy of our attention
each day. Of course this means that we will have to spend a few
minutes to read about what is available. But surely this will prove
to be beneficial. Instead of automatically activating the power
switch as part of a daily routine, regardless of what may be "on"
at the time, selectivity should be routine.

Television is with us and will continue to exert its influence in
ways that are difficult to predict at the present time. The
proliferation of cable TV, the increasing interest in satellite
systems, the unfolding of futuristic technology, virtual reality,
and a host of other developments will probably force us to give
even more attention to TV than we have to this point in its
history.

So as Christians it appears that we will continue to have the same
dilemma: do we reject the medium, or do we redeem it? Since we are
called to glorify God in all we do, it appears we should not leave
TV out of this mandate. Let us commit ourselves to the redemption
of television.